Meek, Joe
I Hear A New World (purple)
The first and most independent of all independent producers, Joe Meek needs little introduction. He was the first to chart in both the UK and the USA with an independently produced song -which was actually recorded in his home's kitchen- when The Tornados' 'Telstar' took the world in 1962. Meek was, of course, one of the most in vogue producers of the first half of the 1960s, providing the soundtrack to the evolution of UK rock'n'roll to Swinging London, scoring hits with actors like John Leyton ('Johnny Remember Me'), showmen like Screaming Lord Sutch and bands like The Outlaws and The Tornados. He also produced a wide stream of R&B and freakbeat 45s that are nowadays hardly sought after by the collectors with the biggest bank accounts. Joe Meek experimented with all kinds of recording techniques in his home studio, his tricks and gimmicks won his productions chart placement and critical and public acclaim, but none of his projects was so advanced and way out as the avantgarde experimentation showed in his 'I Hear A New World' electronic symphony from 1960. Aided by The Blue Men formed by Rod Freeman (group leader, guitar, vocals), Ken Harvey (tenor sax, vocals), Roger Fiola (Hawaiian guitar), Chris White (guitar), Doug Collins (bass), Dave Golding (drums) -also known as Rodd-Ken and The Cavaliers- who provided a tight base to his electronically produced sounds, Meek came up with what he envisioned as the soundtrack of the future, the sounds he envisioned were to be heard in outer space. It was too way out for its time, certainly. To the point that of all the opus, only four tracks saw the light of day on a 7" EP released on Triumph, Meek's very own label. It wouldn't be until 1991 that the whole recordings from the 'I Hear A New World' sessions would see the light of day on a CD issued by the RPM label. Wah Wah offers a reissue of this now classic early electronics masterpiece, housed in a beautiful front-laminated back-flapped sleeve. Get yours before they fly! RIYL: Delia Derbyshire and The BBC Radiophonic Workshop, Louis and Bebe Barron's soundtrack to 'Forbidden Planet,' Raymond Scott, Tom Dissevelt & Kid Baltan, Morton Subotnick... Edition of 150 copies on purple vinyl.